


i am a stitch away from making it (a stitch away from a falling apart)

by completist



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Drabble, Hurt/Comfort, Levi taking care of the wound he inflicted on Erwin's hand, M/M, post-ACWNR
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:02:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24271030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/completist/pseuds/completist
Summary: He cradles Erwin's hand gently, turning it over to look at the wound. "It'll leave a scar when it heals." He says, not looking at Erwin but feeling his gaze at him all the same.There's a hint of a smile in Erwin's voice when he speaks, "It's no matter. Just another scar among many others."Levi hums, wondering if Erwin usually forgives this easily.
Relationships: Levi/Erwin Smith
Comments: 2
Kudos: 87





	i am a stitch away from making it (a stitch away from a falling apart)

**Author's Note:**

> based on @LOVINGLEVI's prompt on twitter: you ever just think that after levi's first expedition, he bandaged the wound he inflicted on erwin's hand. You can find the twitter drabble [here!](https://twitter.com/completist_/status/1262027575179612161)
> 
> Unbeta'd.

Levi sees the haphazardly bandaged hand the moment they stepped inside the walls; blood seeping through the cloth and into the reigns of his mare. The troops walk idly, no sense of position as they carry what remains of their comrades back inside—and hopefully back to their families. 

In his case, there was no family to return to.

He ignores the bleeding hand he had caused for the time being, biting at the inside of his cheeks as Mike sidles up to Erwin, exchanging nods as they walk in silence. Their body language is familiar, comfortable. And Levi wonders how many times they have done this.

The mess hall emptied quickly. And Levi has inkling that this is how it always is post-expedition: quiet, eerie,  _ hollow, _ sorrow hanging in the air like a heavy morning fog. He stares at the moon through the open windows, at the mildly cloudy sky and wonders if it's going to rain tomorrow. It seems fitting, he thinks, the sky pouring the tears everyone in the headquarters is seemingly stopping itself from doing so. 

A series of footsteps echoes across the empty floor, growing louder by the second it comes closer. Then it stops, and Levi is pretty sure that he knows who it is.

"Levi." Erwin greets him from his position at the entrance of the hall. "Ah, you must be wondering why the whole place feels empty."

Levi turns to meet his gaze. "Not really."

He looks down, looking bashful, as a tight-lipped smile graces his features. Levi stares, he looks a little out of his element here, more human, the soft light of the lamps taming his ragged edges. Levi stares. He stares at the slightly tensed lines of his shoulders, the straps of the gear hugging his body comfortably, at the way the top two buttons of his shirt fall open. He raises an eyebrow, "How's the hand?"

"Hm," Erwin hums, contemplating. And then he spares the hand in question with a quick glance. "Fine, I think."

"Did you even clean it before you locked yourself up in your office?"

And then Erwin is looking at him as though he is genuinely surprised that Levi knows exactly what he did. As though his routine at the headquarters wasn't observed and memorized by Levi for his… former intention of killing him. "I'm about to clean it now actually."

They stare at each other for a moment, and Levi finally notices the first aid kit he is carrying in one hand. The wounded one also seems newly washed, the dirty bandage no longer covering it. Pursing his lips and narrowing his gaze at the man, Levi pulls the chair beside him. A silent invitation.

Erwin stops for a moment, looking between Levi and at the empty seat beside him. And then he gives Levi another smile before entering the hall and taking the seat beside him, he seems comfortable, albeit shocked that there seems to be a firmer rapport between now after all that happened outside the walls. Levi avoids his gaze, avoids looking at him approaching him with ease, and something like eagerness—a curiosity Erwin has always exhibited when it comes to him; even when Levi is still trying to kill him. The first aid kit sat on the table before them, and Erwin is about to open it when Levi pulls his hand to him, holding the much larger hand with his and moving it as he pleases.

He cradles Erwin's hand gently, turning it over to look at the wound. Hooking his thumb against Erwin’s, Levi angles it a certain way so he can see better under the dim light of the lamps and the sliver of moonlight showering them in white. The wound doesn't look angry as Levi thought it would be, and he silently hopes it doesn't get infected.

"It'll leave a scar when it heals." He says, not looking at Erwin but feeling his gaze at him all the same. Levi clamps down at the heat creeping up his neck and to his cheeks, somehow glad that his hair is long enough to cover the tips of his ears.

There's a hint of a smile in Erwin's voice when he speaks, "It's no matter. Just another scar among many others."

Levi hums, wondering if Erwin usually forgives this easily and ignoring the heat of Erwin's body seeping through the thin material of his shirt. He wonders if his body will be like that too the longer he stays where the sun can grace his features, lighting up his body, and injecting sunshine into his veins.

Reaching a hand to the kit, he sets about disinfecting the wound. Erwin sits quietly beside him, hand moving along the motions Levi sets it to. And Levi wonders then, if Erwin had enough wounds before that this one no longer makes him flinch.

He makes a mental note of putting away the blade he used that caused this away from Erwin, and from his own gear.

And then he was bandaging the wound up, making sure it's tight and secure enough that it won't get loose in his sleep; but not too tight that it will be uncomfortable for him to move using this hand. He puts the stuff back to the kit and closes it, still holding on to Erwin's hand.

And then he was pulling away, mentally berating himself for gliding his fingers along the back of Erwin's hand as he did so. He looks up and sure enough, Erwin is smiling softly at him; moonlight making his blonde hair seems paler than it would against the sun, making the blue of his eyes seem glowing as the pale red of the lamps reflect on them.

"Thank you, Levi."

Levi grunts in reply. The sound of his chair grating against the floor fills the silence as he stands and leaves Erwin alone, the memory of Erwin's soft smile burning at the forefront of his mind.


End file.
